When Quinton McCracken was hired as the Houston Astros' director of player development in 2012, the organization was in the process of rebuilding its minor-league system.

Houston's minor-league clubs had the lowest combined record in all of baseball in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, but that began to change in 2012 — and the Tri-City ValleyCats have played a key role in that transformation.

McCracken, a Duke graduate who enjoyed 12 seasons in the major leagues with teams including Colorado, Tampa Bay and Arizona, was hired in Oct. 2012, and last year, the Astros' farm teams finished second among 30 major league organizations with a 476-360 record.

The 'Cats finished 44-32 last season and captured their second New York-Penn League title.

A number of players on Tri-City's championship squad, including closer Gonzalo Sanudo and first baseman Conrad Gregor, are now excelling at the next level.

Sanudo and Gregor began the 2014 season with Class A Quad Cities, but have since been promoted to Class A-Advanced Lancaster.

"That's a testament to (Tri-City manager Ed Romero) and his staff, and all of our coaches throughout the system," McCracken said. "We bring in quality coaches that have a good curriculum and work with the kids and teach them what they need to do to be successful."

McCracken spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks as their assistant director of player development.

He oversees the development of 200-plus players in Houston's minor-league system, in addition to the coaching staffs.

Springer was the most recent to play in Troy back in 2011. He made his big-league debut in April and is batting .247 with seven doubles, 32 runs scored and 38 RBIs. He hit his 13th home run of the season Friday, tying a team-high for the Astros, who are 33-42 this season after winning an average of 54 games over the past three seasons.

In McCracken's first full season, Houston set a franchise record with six minor-league teams earning playoff berths, experience the organization hopes will be valuable at the major-league level, too.

"I think more than anything, it was a cultural change," McCracken said. "To get the kids playing the game properly and to drive out that mindset. In addition to bringing in talented players, you're going to teach these players how to win. If you don't expect to win when you take the field, then chances are you're not going to win."

McCracken was recently in Troy for four of Tri-City's five games to open the 2014 season, and he came away impressed with the young group.

"I think the pitching has been outstanding," he said. "Getting bunts down, hustle plays, it has been pretty important. We understand it's going to take a while for the kids to get their legs up under them, and with that in mind, there's no excuses; you still have to go out there, focus and make the plays."

Houston's second- and third-round picks in this month's draft — A.J. Reed and J.D. Davis — are currently playing for the 'Cats to begin their professional careers.

"The routines, the play, the travel ... they're not in Kansas anymore," McCracken said. "You're playing seven days out of the week here. It's an adjustment period."

McCracken hopes Houston's minor-league success will bring about major achievements in the future.

"Hopefully, (the future) holds a World Series championship, that's the end goal," he said.

"It's a long journey, but it starts here. It starts with managers like Ed and his staff and starts with talented players like we have (in Tri-City)."